Whatever it Takes
by Skippy1
Summary: Takes place two years after the trio graduated. What happens when Draco Malfoy shows up half-dead in front of 12 Grimmauld Place?
1. Rendezvous at Jake's

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or its characters or settings, and I'm not making money off of this.  
  
Whatever it Takes  
  
Chapter 1 - Rendezvous at Jake's  
  
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Ginny Weasley would have enjoyed the walk if it hadn't started to rain. The day had been peaceful until the clouds darkened, and she had to pull her sweater up over her head to keep from getting soaked. She quickened her pace and looked at the numbers on the buildings, searching for the bar her friends had told her to meet them at. Pausing a moment, she quickly searched her pockets for the letter to confirm the address. She found the letter crumpled in her back pocket and skimmed it.  
  
We'd like you to meet us at 76 Henry Street. The place is called Jake's. Be on the lookout; it's kind of in the shadows.  
  
Ginny turned her head and saw she was right outside 76 Henry Street. Looking up, she read the aged sign. Jake's. She walked up the steps and opened the door, wondering what kind of place she was going into.  
  
The first thing she saw when she walked in was a chalkboard to her left. Tuesday is Karaoke Night!" was written in bold, colorful letters. To her right was a bar, complete with a bartender, and in front of her were tables, mostly empty. She was wondering where people would perform karaoke when she heard her brother's voice.  
  
"Ginny! Over here!" She turned and saw her brother, Ron, his girlfriend Hermione Granger, and their friend Harry Potter sitting together at a table. She walked over and sat down in the fourth chair, making the table full.  
  
"Hello all," greeted Ginny.  
  
"Hello, Ginny," Harry and Hermione chorused. Ron had just taken a swig of some foaming beverage.  
  
" 'Lo Ginny," he said after he swallowed.  
  
"How've you been?" asked Hermione. "How's the training coming?"  
  
"It's good," replied Ginny. "Medicine's really interesting to me. Of course, I've just started, but so far, it's good. And you guys?"  
  
"Second year of Auror training is..just like the first," said Harry. "I like it, though." Ron nodded in agreement; he was also training to become an Auror.  
  
"I enjoy my job at the Ministry very much, although sometimes I feel like smacking some of my coworkers," said Hermione. Ginny laughed, and then leaned forward seriously.  
  
"Has there been anymore news or attacks?" she asked. "I haven't heard or read anything in a while." Hermione frowned.  
  
"We're in a Muggle bar, Hermione," said Harry. "We can talk about it here."  
  
"Even if someone accidentally overheard, they wouldn't understand anything," said Ron.  
  
"All right," acquiesced Hermione hesitantly. "The latest attack was at the Collins'. Did you know them?" Ginny shook her head. "Purebloods, actually, with four kids. But they were neutral in the war. A group of Death-Eaters barged into the place and demanded they join their side."  
  
"They stayed firm, though," continued Harry. "They did Crucio a bunch and threatened to kill if they didn't join their side. But apparently, the oldest child slipped away before they saw him and noted the Aurors. Moody, Tonks, and a few others walked in the place, and the Death- Eaters disapparated. It was too late for the mother, though. She was killed."  
  
Now Ron spoke. "Dumbledore thinks they're going to get a lot more people on his side before he actually attacks.well,"  
  
"Attacks me," said Harry.  
  
"Or any of us. The members of the Order," said Hermione. "We'll find out more, when are we supposed to be at Grimmauld?"  
  
"In a half hour," said Harry, glancing at the clock on the wall.  
  
"Right. We should get going then." And with that, they left money on the table and headed toward Grimmauld Place. 


	2. In Which Draco is Cold

A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed, and thanks to Karen for editing. This chapter I had a lot of trouble with. I know it's short, but hopefully to your liking.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
In Which Draco is Cold  
  
Draco Malfoy had been walking for a day, and he was getting colder. At first he didn't mind the rain; in fact, he enjoyed it. But the rain kept falling for hours. He soon became cold and wet and wishing he had his wand to make a fire. He also wished, only slightly less, for some chicken, or any kind of food. When he settled under a large tree to rest (for he knew he would not be able to sleep) he was shivering uncontrollably. He wrapped his wet cloak around himself and looked around. He saw nothing, and yet he knew where he was going. And more importantly, where - and what - he was leaving.  
  
His father. His bastard of a father. To think he once looked up to him, wanted to be just like him. It would amaze him later that all that changed in one night's events. And now he abhorred his father. He picked up a rock and threw it with all his strength, and realized afterwards he had forgotten the cold for that moment. And so, with angry thoughts of his father, he moved on.  
  
The hunger subsided by the second day, but the cold grew worse. What bothered him, perhaps more, was that the mark on his upper left arm was coming back. He had cut most of the skin off before, but the mark was coming back through the wound. He screamed and clawed at the black outline against the red, hoping to scratch it off. But he knew deep inside that it was useless; he was just making the wound bleed. Despite the pain, the warm blood felt good running along his arm.  
  
By the third day, he could no longer use thoughts of his father to forget the cold. It was always beside him, a monster that wouldn't leave him alone. He shivered and shook constantly, and the rain was still falling, with only short sporadic pauses. He hadn't been completely dry since he left.  
  
And finally, he reached his destination.  
  
He flopped down on the ground in exhaustion right outside 12 Grimmauld Place. 


	3. People Look at Each Other in Confusion

Chapter 3  
  
Ginny hadn't seen Draco in four years. His father had pulled him out of Hogwarts after his fifth year, so he could become a Death-Eater. Ginny never thought twice about him since. She had heard quite a bit about him from Ron, mostly babble about what a prat bastard he was, but she rarely had any contact with him personally.  
  
So it was no surprise that she didn't recognize him at first. She didn't even see him at first. They were just walking along the path, Harry telling some joke that Ron seemed to find hilarious, even though he hadn't hit the punch line yet. Then, as they approached 12 Grimmauld Place, Hermione interrupted,  
  
"What is that?" Ron paused the joke and Hermione pointed off toward something in the mud.  
  
"It looks like a person," remarked Harry.  
  
It took a moment for that thought to sink in, but once it did, the four rushed toward the body. He was lying on his stomach, but his head was facing away from them, revealing a mash of blonde hair with streaks of dirt. Ron pulled him over onto his back, revealing Draco Malfoy's slightly blue face.  
  
"Shit!" cursed Ron.  
  
"Is he alive?" questioned Hermione.  
  
"Who is he?" asked Ginny. The second she said it, she realized it was him. It didn't matter, though, because none of the three bothered to answer. Harry put his hand on Draco's chest and felt a heartbeat.  
  
"He's alive. Um, what do we do?" In the awkward silence that followed, each of them looked at the other three at least once in confusion.  
  
"Well, I suppose I'll go get someone," said Ginny as she began walking briskly to the front door. Her mother was in the entryway, apparently having a conversation with Remus Lupin and Minerva McGonagall. Mrs. Weasley hugged her on the spot.  
  
"Ginny! How wonderful to see you! How are you?"  
  
"I'm great, Mum, nice to see you too. Draco Malfoy is out front, unconscious, with Ron, Hermione, and Harry." Mrs. Weasley went slightly pale, and Lupin raised an eyebrow. After a moment in which the information set into everyone's heads, Lupin walked, with surprising calmness, briskly outside, and McGonagall left the room, presumably to tell Dumbledore. Ginny and her mother looked at each other again, then followed Lupin outside. "What else can we do, Harry?" Lupin was saying. He was kneeling down beside Draco; Harry, Hermione, and Ron were standing over him.  
  
"Well, we can't take a Death-Eater into the headquarters!" Ron complained. "Hello, Mum." Mrs. Weasley and Ginny had reached the others. Ron and Mrs. Weasley embraced.  
  
"If we take him inside, we can keep him there," said Hermione.  
  
"Exactly," said Lupin. "Help me with him. Take his ankles, Harry." Lupin put his arm under Draco's chest and hoisted him up. Harry, after a look from Ron and an eye-roll from Hermione, carried his legs. At this point, a few people came bustling out the door.  
  
"Search all around the house," said Mad-Eye Moody, after a quick glance at Draco. He jogged, wand out, to the right side of the house. Two followed him, and the others went to the left.  
  
Harry and Lupin plopped Draco down on the couch in the living room. A small crowd had gathered alongside them, bustling with questions.  
  
"Is he dead?"  
  
"Is he alive?"  
  
"Why is he here?"  
  
"While he's asleep, let's draw on his face."  
  
"Silence!" commanded Dumbledore who had appeared at the doorway. The crowd obeyed and turned to him. "Everyone into the dining room for an emergency meeting." A few still muttering among themselves, the people began to exit the room. But when Ginny passed Dumbledore in the doorway, he put his hand on her shoulder stopping her.  
  
"Would you mind watching him?" he asked, gesturing to Draco. "If he wakes up, feel free to run in."  
  
"Sure." After Dumbledore left, Ginny looked back at Draco and let out a sigh. This would be quite fun. 


	4. Draco Looks at Ginny's Cute Butt

Chapter 4  
  
Draco awakened without opening his eyes. He felt nauseous and his head throbbed with pain. He tried to forget the pain, to think about something else, so he took in his surroundings. He was indoors, that was for sure, and it was quiet. He was lying on something. a couch, probably. He could feel the back of it, and his hand was propped up on an armrest.  
  
After waiting for a few more moments, he still heard nothing. If there was anyone around, they weren't making any noise. He took a risk and opened his eyes. He was greeted by the sight of a young redhead woman on another couch opposite his, staring at the wall to her left. She looked bored. He closed his eyes again. Red hair. she had the look of a Weasley. She must be the youngest one, what was her name? Virginia, or Ginny, that was it.  
  
Well, she's grown up rather nicely, thought Draco, and his instincts immediately told him no. She was a Weasley, and Weasleys were scum. Then he realized that was his father's belief, and his father was the one who was scum. If the Weasleys were scum, well, that was up to him to figure out for himself.  
  
A sudden pain came up into his throat and he could not resist the urge to cough. Then he moaned, as if he had just awakened, and opened his eyes to meet the surprised eyes of Ginny.  
  
"Where am I?" he whispered hoarsely. She bit her lip, never breaking the eye contact, as if contemplating how to answer.  
  
"Twelve Grimmauld Place," she said finally. Then, after another pause, "Do you think you can get up, or are you too weak?" Draco moved his arms underneath his chest, and tried to push himself up, but fell back. He shook his head.  
  
"Good," said Ginny. She got off the couch and went down the hallway, Draco noticing her behind. Then his mind turned to things other than Ginny's cute butt. He had planned to fall back, but he was surprised to discover that he could not have gotten up even if he had wanted to. It was better to appear weaker than he actually was, he believed. To the enemy, he realized then. She was not his enemy, not anymore.  
  
Was she? He had come to the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix to tell them what he knew, and what the Death-Eaters were planning to do. It very well could be that they would deny him, and torture or kill him instead. After all, he had been a loyal Death-Eater himself for quite some time. He didn't have his wand, nor did he have any strength to defend himself physically.  
  
Footsteps interrupted his thoughts. He looked up to meet the eyes of his old Potions master.  
  
"Hello again, Mr. Malfoy." 


	5. Ginny is Bored

A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. I know everyone says this, but I had a sudden bombardment of homework. You don't believe it until it happens to you. The next few chapters are probably going to be somewhat boring - they're basically just there to make time go by. After that, though, things should be pretty exciting. Oh yeah, and the chapter length thing. I try to make my chapters longer, but that's just my weakness. I'm working on it. Thanks to all reviewers!  
  
Chapter 5  
  
The meeting was about to be adjourned when Ginny burst in. "He's awake, but weak," she told everyone. "He can't get off the couch." She noticed an angry look on Ron's crimson face.  
  
"Severus?" said Dumbledore. "Go explain to him what we've decided." Snape nodded and went past Ginny out the door. "Everyone is dismissed." Ginny moved away in order for everyone to exit.  
  
"What'd you decide?" asked Ginny to the first person out the door, who happened to be Ron. He grumbled something and stormed on, obviously upset. Hermione came out next.  
  
"Ron, you're being close-minded!" she said as she went after her boyfriend. George was next, followed closely by Fred.  
  
"What's happening?" she asked. The twins moved aside to let the other people pass.  
  
"We're going to keep him here," said George. "Snape's making Veristatum to see what his intentions are. In the meantime.." He broke into the famous Weasley twin grin of mischief.  
  
"We have a new subject to test all of our new creations on," finished Fred.  
  
"Now, we'd love to stay and chat, but we have some new items that need tweaking."  
  
"You guys need girlfriends," was all Ginny had to say. They shrugged and walked off. Ginny leaned against the wall and sighed. Now what was she supposed to do? Definitely not just stand here. She went into the entryway and found Ron and Hermione kissing on the couch. She smiled. That was the way their relationship was; one minute they were fighting and the next they were making out. She was happy for them. She then headed for the stairs, but was stopped.  
  
"Miss Weasley." She turned around and saw it was Snape.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Do you have The Basic Book of Medical Remedies with you? The potion Mr. Malfoy needs to take is in there." Ginny nodded and continued going up the stairs to enter her room.  
  
After Voldemort returned to power, the Burrow was not deemed as safe as it used to be. The Weasleys still owned the old house, but they spent most of their time at Grimmauld Place. The boys had to share rooms, but Ginny got her own, although she often had to share with Hermione. The house was like a hotel; members of the Order were always coming and going.  
  
Although she had forgotten what it looked like, Ginny found the book with less difficulty than she expected. A house-elf had apparently cleaned the room since she had last seen it. She went back downstairs and handed it to Snape, who muttered a thanks and walked off. She sighed and leaned against the wall again. She was back where she started - bored.  
  
But then again, Draco Malfoy, son of Voldemort's right hand, was staying at the headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix. Things were going to get quite interesting around here. 


End file.
